Toothbrush drying device

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush drying device comprises a housing having toothbrush accommodating means therein and a removable cover. A heater in the housing heats the air in the housing thereby drying toothbrushes in the housing. A selectively adjustable control device coupled to the heater controls the duration of heating. A source of ultraviolet light in the housing in proximity with the toothbrush accommodating means destroys bacteria on toothbrushes in the housing.

liult lillilil i UIIItGBd States Patent 1191 1111 3,820,251 Abernathy 1 June 28, 1974 TOOTHBRUSH DRYING DEVICE 2,592,131 4/1952 Farrar 250/455 1 Inventor: Harlan Abemathy, Vancouver, 5:33:32? 1552? 5122132;1:11............:::3::::::::::: 51123 2 Wash- 3,309,159 3/1967 Le Sueur et al. 250/454 [73] Assignee: The Raymond Lee Organization,

New York a P Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague Interest Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung 2 Filed; Mar. 27 973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Daniel Jay Tick [21] Appl. No.: 345,265

[57] ABSTRACT [52] g ge gi i g i A toothbrush drying device comprises a housing hav. [5]] Int Cl 19/00 ing toothbrush accommodating means therein and a 58] Fieid 60 68 90 removable cover. A heater in the housing heats the air 34/91 in the housing thereby drying toothbrushes in the 239 5 5 456, 2 housing. A selectively adjustable control device cou- 12/84 h pled to the heater controls the duration of heating. A source of ultraviolet light in the housing in proximity with the toothbrush accommodating means destroys [56] UN TE S r S :ZqrENTS bacteria on toothbrushes in the housing.

2,245,762 6/I94l Stefani et al 250/455 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures lmul uum 1 p TOOTHBRUSH DRYING DEVICE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a toothbrush drying device.

The principal object of the invention is to provide toothbrush drying device of simple structure for drying toothbrushes and destroying bacteria thereon with efficiency, effectiveness andreliability.

accommodating racks 2, 3 and 4 (FIG. 2) therein and a removable cover 5 (FIG. 1).

A heater (FIG. 1) in the housing 1 beats the air in the housing thereby drying toothbrushes 6 and 7 (FIG. 1) in the housing. The heater comprises a heater 8 (FIG. I) for heating ambient air, a fan 9 (FIG. 1) for circulating air through the heater into the housing and a motor l0 (FIG. I) for driving the fan.

A selectively adjustable control device is coupled to the heater 8, 9, l0 and controls the duration of heating. 7

The control device comprises a timer 1] (FIG. 1) coupled to and controlling the operation of the motor 10 and a manually operated switch 12 (FIG. 1) coupled to the timer for setting the time of operation of the motor to a desired period.

A source 13 (FIG. 1) of ultraviolet light is provided in the housing 1 in proximity with the toothbrush accommodating racks 2, 3 and 4 and functions to destroy bacteria on toothbrushes 6 and 7 in the housing.

While the invention has been described by means of a specific example and in a specific embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereto, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: I. A toothbrush drying device, comprising a housing having toothbrush accommodating means therein and a removable cover;

heating means in the housing for heating the air in the housing thereby drying toothbrushes in the housing;

selectively adjustable control means coupled to the heating means for controlling the duration of heating; and

a source of ultraviolet light in the housing in proximity with the toothbrush accommodating means for destroying bacteria on toothbrushes in the housing.

means coupled to the timer for setting the time of operdesired period.

ation of the motor to a 

1. A toothbrush drying device, comprising A HOUSING HAVING TOOTHBRUSH ACCOMMODATING MEANS THEREIN AND A REMOVABLE COVER; HEATING MEANS IN THE HOUSING FOR HEATING THE AIR IN THE HOUSING THEREBY DRYING TOOTHBRUSHES IN THE HOUSING; SELECTIVELY ADJUSTABLE CONTROL MEANS COUPLED TO THE HEATING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DURATION OF HEATING; AND A SOURCE OF ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT IN THE HOUSING IN PROXIMITY WITH THE TOOTHBRUSH ACCOMMODATING MEANS FOR DESTROYING BACTERIA ON TOOTHBRUSHES IN THE HOUSING.
 2. A toothbrush drying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises a heater for heating ambient air, a fan for circulating air through the heater into the housing and A motor for driving the fan, and the control means comprises a timer coupled to and controlling the operation of the motor and switch means coupled to the timer for setting the time of operation of the motor to a desired period. 